volume 37, number 3 mar 2012 · bgc took a field trip to mckeesport, pa., to visit one of the new...

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PAIDPITTSBURGH, PAPermit No. 2403

A Publication of The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Serving Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty and Lawrenceville Since 1975

Volume 37, Number 3

MAR 2012

See Grocery | page 2

Green Roof Sprouts onBus ShelterBy Margaret Graham ELDI

East Liberty – Green roofs are popping up all over Pittsburgh, buthow many can you actually see? Thanks to a new installation onPenn Avenue in East Liberty, the details of a green roof are now 2

Woolslair Gets Libraryand Food PantryBy Melinda Maloney The Bulletin

Bloomfield – Pittsburgh Woolslair’s library is a vibrant, engagingspace. Painted in bright colors, its walls contain quotes fromfamous authors espousing the joys of reading. Its shelves display 4

See page 2

See page 4

New Museum ExploresTransgenic LifeBy Rich Engel Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.

Garfield – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is consideringapproving genetically engineered salmon for human consumption,which would be a first on our supermarket shelves. The salmon is 13

See page 13

Grocery Chain Renews Interest in 5200 Penn

By Paula Martinac The Bulletin

ABOVE: Dr. Ken Melani, CEO of Highmark, removes the “closed” sign from the West Penn Hospital emergency department. For more on the reopening ofthe ER, see page 3. Photo by Paula Martinac

ABOVE: A storytime area in the library at Pittsburgh Woolslair K-5. Photo by Paula Martinac

Bloomfield/Garfield – Commercial Prop-erties, the North Carolina-baseddeveloper for the discount grocery chainBottom Dollar, signed a sales contract onJanuary 20 with owner Al Panza for theproperty at 5200 Penn Avenue. This turn of events comes almost a yearafter the same developer decided it was“not moving forward” at that time withplans to develop the property as a grocerystore. In March 2011, facing objectionsfrom nearby neighbors about the siteplans, Commercial Properties released itsoption on the property, but told Bloom-field-Garfield Corporation staff it wouldbe back to revisit the possibility of a PennAvenue store after the other BottomDollar stores in the Pittsburgh arealaunched. On January 26, Bottom Dollar heldgrand openings for seven of the 14 newstores it is opening across the region; fourmore opened in February. Members of theBGC took a field trip to McKeesport, Pa.,to visit one of the new supermarkets, andfound it clean, bright and extremely busy.With incentives like a free bag of groceriesfor the first 200 customers, discount priceson both national and store-brand foodsand special appearances by formerSteelers, the check-out lines snaked

2 | The Bulletin | MAR 2012

Grocery from page 1

through the aisles, and shoppers’ carts werepiled high.

“We heard that people were lined up atmidnight [for the opening],” Kate TillmanBrown, vice president of development forCommercial Properties, told The Bulletin.The morning rush was so hectic, Brownsaid, she and C. Brantley Tillman, the prin-cipal of Commercial Properties, were“helping pull in shopping carts from theparking lot.”

At press time, Tillman and his engineer,George Haberman of the local firm Civiland Environmental Consultants Inc., wereputting the finishing touches on their siteplans for a meeting with nearby neighborson February 23 at the BGC’s CommunityActivity Center. They met with BGC staff aweek earlier to review the specifics.

As reported in The Bulletin last spring, thestore would be built from the ground up,with the developer demolishing the existingstructure that houses Schaedler Yesco. “Thatbuilding is in bad shape,” noted Tillman.“The roof is wood and it isn’t sound.” Thenew building will abut 5222 Penn, with theparking lot on the corner of South Pacificand Penn – the reverse of the current siteconfiguration. There will be 53 parkingspots.

ABOVE: A separate produce room is a unique feature of all Bottom Dollar grocery stores. Picturedhere is the new store in McKeesport. Photo by Paula Martinac

Public Safety Task Force. The Public Safety Task Force has convenedmonthly in Garfield since 2000. At the table are representatives from the Bloom-field-Garfield Corporation, the Bureau of Police, other neighborhood organiza-tions, the offices of the Mayor and City Council members, various city andcounty departments and the state. Community members are invited to bringspecific concerns to the PSTF’s monthly meeting during the first 15 minutes.The next meeting is March 14 at 4 p.m. at the BGC’s Community Activity Center,113 North Pacific Avenue.

visible to anyone and everyone. Pittsburgh’s first green roof bus shelterhas been installed on the corner of PennAvenue and N. Whitfield Street in EastLiberty. Funding came from The SproutFund’s Spring Program, which is in part-nership with The Pittsburgh Foundation.The design and retrofitting of the busshelter was done by Joel Perkovich, prin-cipal at Tsuga Studios. According to Loralyn Fabian, sustainableprojects manager at East Liberty Develop-ment, Inc. (ELDI), the goals of the busshelter are to foster biodiversity, revitalizeEast Liberty’s commercial core throughbeautification and green infrastructure andengage and educate local partners andstakeholders about the benefits of greenroofs. This final goal is also what makes theshelter unique, said Fabian. “Not only is thisPittsburgh’s first green roof bus shelter,” shesaid, “but as far as we know it’s the only oneof its kind to provide education about thebenefits of a green roof actually on theshelter.” The “education” Fabian is talking aboutis information located on each panel of thebus shelter. Bus patrons and pedestriansalike can read about the environmentalbenefits of green roofs, as well as learnabout the technology behind the shelter

and the plant species growing on the roof. The green roof has eight layers, begin-ning with the roof deck. That deck isfollowed by insulation, liners, differentprotection and filter fabrics, and finally thespecially engineered green roof soil media(engineered to be lighter than traditionalsoil). The plants, some native and some justespecially hearty, are the icing on the greenroof cake. Located under the bench in the shelter isa cistern, which will hold any runoff fromthe plants on the roof. Thanks to a solarpanel located on the roof, a pump willdirect water from the cistern back to theplants on dry days. Any time the cistern isfull, the excess will be used to water nearbytrees. ELDI also hosted an informational work-shop for local partners, detailing the stepstaken to duplicate the shelter in other areasof the City of Pittsburgh. Fabian sees it asanother instance of neighborhoods takingthe initiative for green infrastructure. “For the past five years, East Liberty hasbeen a pilot site for green infrastructureprojects, in hopes that other neighbor-hoods would implement their own,” shesaid. “Until Pittsburgh has a city-wide greeninfrastructure plan, it’s up to individualneighborhoods to make green projectshappen on the most local level possible.” t

Green Roof from page 1

BELOW: Installation of the city’s first green roof bus shelter. Photo courtesy ELDI

The building will have multiple air condi-tioning compressors on the roof, which are“very quiet,” according to Tillman. “It won’tbe any different than having a house nextdoor.”

The plans include a truck entrance onPenn, with egress onto South Pacific.Tillman said he will hire a subcontractor todo a traffic study of the 100 block of Pacific,with the intention of making it two-way toavoid bringing trucks into the residentialarea that begins at Coral Street.

Also, in deference to the property’s loca-tion at the heart of the Penn Avenue ArtsDistrict, Tillman is looking at drawingsfrom EDGE Studio, a local architecturalfirm, for the design of the fence and land-scaping around the store. The developerwould extend this decorative fence along aportion of Coral, and have a higher wallalong the rear perimeter to obscure theloading dock and trash receptacles. Designplans also include moving the colorful glassmural designed by local artist Daviea Davisand currently mounted on 5222 Penn to thefaçade of the grocery store.

“We want to do everything to be a goodneighbor,” noted Tillman.

If plans are approved by the city’s zoningboard, construction would take about sevenmonths, start to finish, said Brown.

BGC Deputy Director Aggie Brose said,“This would be a huge investment of privatefunds in our neighborhood. It wouldcomplement our new housing development,and come at a time when transit cutsthreaten to affect how easily our residentscan get their groceries.”

Tillman said this would be the firstBottom Dollar within the Pittsburgh citylimits. It would also be the first grocery storein the neighborhood in 25 years. Watch forupdates on this issue in coming editions ofThe Bulletin, including a report on theFebruary 23 meeting and notification of theofficial hearing before the city’s ZoningBoard of Adjustment. t

3MAR 2012 | The Bulletin |

The deadline for the April issue is THURSDAY, MARCH 15.

Editorial and Advertising Offices • 5149 Penn Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15224412.441.6915 • (Fax) 412.441.6956 • [email protected] Circulation • 20,500 Copies • 17,500 Mailed • 3,000 DroppedStaff • Paula Martinac, Editor • Melinda Maloney, Intern • Martin Pochapin, Advertising • Melinda Maloney and Rick Swartz, Proofreading • Mary Anne Stevanus,Bookkeeper • Garfield CISP, DistributionBoard Meetings are held by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at 5321 Penn Avenue. These meetings are open to the public.The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher.The Bulletin is made possible in part by funding from PNC Bank and the Pitts-burgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development.www.bloomfield-garfield.org © 2012 by Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Volume 37, Number 3

Serving Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty and Lawrenceville Since 1975with the mission of reporting on activities and ideas affecting those communities and offering an opportunity for residents to express opinions and exchange ideas.

A Publication of Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Thank you, PNC Bank. We would like to acknowledge the BGC’s NPP partner, PNC Bank. Thanks also to BNY Mellon, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood De-velopment, The United Way, Allegheny Valley Bank, Dollar Bank, Citizens Bank, and all of ouradvertisers.

Pittsburgh Green House Opens This MonthBy Melinda Maloney The Bulletin

Bloomfield – In a show of what Dr.Thomas Campbell, chair of EmergencyMedicine for the West Penn AlleghenyHealth System (WPAHS), called “a loveof this community,” the West PennHospital Emergency Departmentreopened its doors on Valentine’s Day. The ER closed in January 2011, onwhat Campbell called “one of the saddestdays of my career.” At that time, theclosing was thought to be permannent. At a press briefing the day before thereopening, Dr. Kenneth Melani, CEO ofHighmark, removed the “permanentlyclosed” sign from the ER entrance. Theinsurance giant is partnering with WestPenn to bring the hospital back into fulloperation. Melani called the ERreopening “a fitting Valentine’s Daypresent to the residents of Bloomfield,Friendship and Garfield.” Melani reviewed the hospital’s longhistory of providing emergency care,dating back to the Civil War, when it wascommissioned as a military hospital. Hesaid he fondly recalled spending “many anight” in the West Penn ER during hisown medical residency at the hospital. Campbell outlined the “wow factor” ofthe ER renovation, which was designedby Astorino, a local architectural firm.

Changes include a new patient entrance,23 patient beds, all new supplies andequipment, and a state-of-the-art CTscanner, which Campbell compared tohaving “a high definition TV instead ofblack and white.” Dr. Keith Ghezzi, interim presidentand CEO of WPAHS, called the renova-tion “one of the most beautiful andfunctional emergency departments I’veever seen.” Campbell described the new ER staffas a mix of veterans and newcomers. Forexample, Janie Miller, RN, has returnedto the hospital to head up the ER nursingstaff. At two job fairs held at West Pennlast fall, more than 2,000 interested appli-cants showed up. Additional plans for West Penn includea renovated and reorganized MellonPavilion; expansion of the hospital’scapacity to 300-350 private patientrooms; the return of cardiovascular serv-ices; and expansion of labor and deliveryservices. County Executive RichFitzgerald, who was among the manylocal political leaders present for theannouncement, praised the reopening ofthe ER and the future plans as “a benefitto the entire city and county.” t

West Penn Emergency Department ReopensBy Paula Martinac The Bulletin

ABOVE: Lindsay Ruprecht demonstrates how toinstall insulation. Photo by Paula Martinac

East Liberty – Three years ago, the Pitts-burgh Green House was a pipe dream,says Lindsay Ruprecht, its programadministrator. However, this month, thehouse, ACTION-Housing’s newestsustainability program, will open its doorsto the general public. Individuals can visit the house to learnhow to make their home-energyconsumption more sustainable – andaffordable – while professionals can takeadvantage of the building’s manyresources, including Building Perform-ance Institute certificate training, toprepare themselves to participate in thegreen economy. Ruprecht wants visitors to the house tolearn by doing, not just by watching orreading. “We wanted to have as manyhands-on activities as possible. We wantpeople to try putting in rope caulking in awindow and ripping it back out,” she said.For that reason, the house is filled withfeatures that people can touch and expe-rience. Immediately through the home’s frontdoor is an insulation cavity, where peoplecan “touch and feel” different options.Similar displays exist all over the house.Visitors can compare the performance andresource use of two different types ofrefrigerators, up to eight different showerheads and a bad attic hatch and a goodone. They can test out the most water-effi-cient toilet that uses water, and leafthrough a library of resources in thekitchen. In essence, almost every aspect ofthe home educates visitors in some way.To enable visitors’ self-guided learning,infographics explaining what each item is– and the financial and environmentalbenefits its use provides – are hungthroughout the house. Although the amount of environmen-tally friendly items in the house can seemoverwhelming, Ruprecht emphasized thatmost of them are pretty easy for theaverage person to find. “Most things herewe either sourced locally or we could. Agood bit of it is from Home Depot. Someof the stuff we can’t get at a Home Depotor a Value City, we can get at Artemis in

Lawrenceville,” she said. They’re also prac-tical – an important aspect of the home’smission is to teach people about differentchanges they can make to save money ontheir utility bills. The house will also host more formaleducational opportunities and has roomsthat can function as classrooms, completewith Internet jacks and a television forpresentations. “ACTION-Housing has arobust line-up of different classes, fromyour basic Home and Energy 101, whicheducates people about the behavioralthings they can do in their own homes toreduce their utility bills, to Energy 102,which deals with what you can do withproducts and physical things you can doto your house,” Christov Churchward,sustainability program assistant atACTION-Housing, said. ACTION-Housing’s community partners will alsouse the home to teach classes. “We at

See Green House | page 10


ENEC Fights UnemploymentBy Melinda Maloney The Bulletin

Garfield – The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation has launched a completely revampedwebsite at www.bloomfield-garfield.org. The site, designed by Imagebox Productions of 4933 Penn Avenue, highlights theBGC’s many programs and initiatives, including housing, youth development, publicsafety, Penn Avenue development, employment and more. It also includes a specialfeature called “Our Community,” designed to showcase residents, property owners,volunteers, community organization leaders, business owners and others who aremaking a difference in the incorporated territory of the BGC. The profiles will rotateevery few months. In addition, the blog for The Bulletin, which used to be housed separately atBlogger.com, now resides on the BGC’s website. Readers can learn about communityevents, employment and other opportunities – especially useful for time-sensitive list-ings that miss the deadline for the paper’s monthly issue. The new website runs with WordPress software, making it easier forstaff to update it and keep it current. “Great,” “awesome” and “terrific”are just a few of the words community members have been using todescribe the redesign. Check it out and see for yourself. t

BGC Overhauls Website

Woolslair from page 1

an inviting selection of new books, and ithas both tables and comfortable chairswhere students can sit to read, watch amovie or do research. But less than six months ago, the librarylooked radically different. Woolslair’slibrarian, Karen Guthrie, who came to theschool from Pittsburgh Greenfield K-8about three years ago, said, “When I firstcame here, I almost died – [the library] wasin such bad shape.” The space was cramped,and its furniture, technology and bookswere outdated, Guthrie said. All of thatchanged when Target and the Heart ofAmerica Foundation selected Woolslair’slibrary to receive a makeover, completewith new books, furniture, carpeting andtechnology. Although the library was closed fromSeptember to November while volunteersrenovated it – sometimes even coming inon weekends – Guthrie knows it was worthit. “We got over 2,000 books, from picturebooks to fiction to nonfiction,” Guthriesaid. The library also received a Smart-Board, and simultaneously acquired newcomputers from the school district. The library’s renovations have made a bigdifference to Woolslair students, who relyon the library for more than just books.Woolslair, a K-5 school, is one of a fewschools lacking a playground, so studentsoften come to the library to watch movieson the SmartBoard during recess. The school’s staff and parents, as well as

students, avail themselves of the library’sresources. One set of shelves containsbooks directed toward adults, with adviceon parenting, professional development,financial management and more. Parentsand school staff can visit the library andcheck out titles like “The Six-Day FinancialMakeover,” “Superparenting for ADD” and“Pay It Down.” Woolslair’s parents and students alikebenefit from the Target Meals of Mind foodpantry, which was an additional part of thegrant. “They hooked us up with the GreaterPittsburgh Food Bank. Once a month theycome to the school, and we have a foodpantry. Families can potentially receive upto $100 or $150 worth of food,” Woolslair’sprincipal, Lisa Gallagher, said, noting thateach family’s allotment depends on itsnumber of children. Principal Gallagher learned about theopportunity to apply for the renovationgrant from the school district. On Wool-slair’s library being selected for themakeover, Gallagher said, “[Target andHeart of America] narrowed it down tothree schools in this district, and theyvisited each of the schools in one day andmet with a team of teachers and principals.They decided that day, and came back tothe school and told us we were selected.” Both Guthrie and the Woolslair studentsare grateful that they were. “Oh, [thestudents] just love it. The kids are just moreexcited – we have brand new books forthem to read,” Guthrie said. t

Garfield – A year ago, Mark Mack was oneof more than 7 percent unemployedAllegheny County residents. Today, thanksto the help of the Eastside NeighborhoodEmployment Center, he has a job in one ofthe region’s fastest growing fields: the naturalgas industry.

Mark Mack walked into the ENEC,located in Garfield at 5321 Penn Avenue,after seeing its sandwich board when hedrove by. The ENEC has drop-in hours onweek days from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Macksaid he decided to stop in simply because“he needed a job.” He was “pleasantlysurprised” with all the help the ENEC staffprovided him.

Much of that assistance came from UsamaAl-Teraifi, an AmeriCorp volunteer andworkforce developer at the ENEC. Al-Teraifisaid that when people come to the ENEC,his first task is to find out about them. “Weask them about themselves. We try to matchtheir interests and make some career sugges-tions based on their interests andexperience,” he said.

Then, the ENEC staff takes specific stepsto help that person obtain the best-fittingjob. In the case of Mack, they “revamped hisresume and made it more presentable,” Al-Teraifi said. Al-Taraifi also helped Mackdevelop a cover letter.

In addition to helping him with his appli-cation materials, Al-Teraifi taught Mack toavail himself of the ENEC’s technologicalresources. He helped Mack set up an emailaddress, gave him a password so he coulduse the ENEC’s computers to access theInternet, taught him to use the fax machineand assisted him in developing the Internetsearch skills necessary for finding a job.

Those Internet skills were crucially

important for Mack’s job hunt: he found hiscurrent job, which he started in late January,on Craigslist.

However, Al-Taraifi emphasized that itwas more than Mack’s technological know-how that led to his current job. “He was verypersistent – he was here all the time lookingfor jobs,” Al-Taraifi said. Mack held severaltemporary jobs before finding his currentposition.

Rick Flanagan, ENEC’s manager, agreedthat Mack’s determination was instrumentalto his success at finding a job, and said headvises others to pursue their employmentsearches with similar diligence. “Don’t feellike you’re a burden to us – just keep comingin until you get the job,” Flanagan said.

Although the ENEC helped Mack find hisjob online, the center has connections withlocal employers, including PNC and UPMC.In the case of those employers, the ENECguides candidates through a series of hiringworkshops and guarantees interviews tosuccessful applicants.

Individuals can stop by the ENEC formore than just job help. “We have an arrayof services – not just an employment. Wehave computer literacy, financial training,and youth programs,” Al-Teraifi said.

Although Mack’s work isn’t easy – heworks long hours outdoors in all sorts ofweather – he’s grateful for the job. In fact,he’s encouraging his nephew to take advan-tage of the ENEC’s resources. “I want [theENEC] to help him like they helped me,”Mack said.

Anyone interested in learning more aboutwhat the ENEC has to offer can stop byduring drop-in hours or call 412-567-3891.t

Follow the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation on Twitter @BloomGarCorp!


Garfield’s Awesome Books Pops Up DowntownBy Melinda Maloney The Bulletin

Downtown - Awesome Books, known for itswhimsical Penn Avenue storefront and, ofcourse, its diverse selection of books, hasopened a new location Downtown.

As part of Project Pop-up, AwesomeBooks, co-owned by Laura Jean McLaughlinand Bob Ziller, received a year’s free use of aDowntown storefront, as well as a grant tofinance the expansion.

Project Pop-up is a joint program of themayor’s office, the Urban RedevelopmentAuthority, the Department of City Planningand the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.It aims to revitalize Downtown by fillingvacant storefronts with tenants, including artinstallations, nonprofits and retail busi-nesses.

Awesome Books was one of 12 finalistsselected from more than 90 applicants tooccupy a space Downtown – and Ziller andMcLaughlin believe their 929 LibertyAvenue store fills a notable void in the citycenter’s retail landscape.

“There were no bookstores Downtown onthe ground level. The Cultural Districtwasn’t really a Cultural District without abookstore,” Ziller, who mainly runs theDowntown store, said.

The primary difference betweenAwesome Book’s Downtown and Garfieldlocations is size, with the Downtown storenoticeably larger. For this reason, Ziller envi-

sions shifting more readings to the LibertyAvenue store. “The last few readings atGarfield were really packed – with peoplestanding,” Ziller said. Awesome Booksfrequently hosts readings by both local andnational authors.

However, McLaughlin noted that authorswill have control over where they do theirreadings. “Some people like the more inti-mate environment – one author fromCalifornia chose [the Garfield] store becauseshe said it looked like something out of‘Harry Potter,’” she said.

The Downtown bookstore also has longerhours than the Garfield one, staying openfrom noon to midnight on Fridays andSaturdays. It will also be open from noon to9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays andnoon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Garfieldstore is open from noon “’til the cows comehome,” which is usually when it gets dark,according to McLaughlin.

The opening of the new location coincideswith another, more gradual change atAwesome Books – the shift to carrying morenew books. The two Awesome Books loca-tions split orders of new books, which theybuy directly from publishers, allowing themto sell them at low rates. They also can takeorders for individuals. Overall, thefocus of both stores is selling quality books– both used and new. McLaughlin joked thatfor its used books, Awesome Books relies

“on a team of ninja bibliophiles,” but saidthat patrons are welcome to drop off booksin good shape off for store credit.

Ziller and McLaughlin plan to maintain aDowntown storefront after their rent-freeyear.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Ziller said, onkeeping the store’s second location,

mentioning that he has considered part-nering with another business, such as acoffee shop, to split the rent.

For more information about upcomingreadings and events at either AwesomeBooks location, visit the website:www.awesomebookspittsburgh.com. t

ABOVE: The Awesome Books storefront at 929 Liberty Avenue. Photo by Paula Martinac


Neighbor Babysits Abandoned PropertyBy Aggie Brose Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

. EYESORE OF THE MONTH.

Garfield – This month’s nomination foreyesore property owner of the month is inGarfield at 5353 Broad Street – just downthe street from last month’s showcase.According to the Allegheny County realestate website, the owners of record areStanley C. and Anna M. Fields.

According to the county website, theFields acquired the property in April 1994for $46,000. Tax bills are going to the ownersat 462 South Atlantic Avenue, Apt. 4. TheBroad Street property is unoccupied andheavily tax delinquent.

When Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation(BGC) staff visited the property, our firstimpression was that it was not as bad asother nominations received for eyesore ofthe month. But we soon realized that thecondition of the property was deceiving atfirst glance.

The owner of the adjacent property, BrianMoffitt, joined us in our inspection, andidentified himself as a lifelong resident ofGarfield. Mr. Moffitt explained how he hadbeen taking care of the property. He cut itsgrass because when it was knee-high, itattracted raccoons and rats. He also boardedup the first-story doors and windows in theback of the house so no one could enter thehouse and start a fire. He put white caution

tape around the front porch (see photo),because the floorboards are rotted. He saidhe did not want neighborhood children toclimb up and get hurt.

In essence, Mr. Moffitt has been “babysit-ting” this abandoned property.

Upon contacting the Record Room at theBureau of Building Inspection (BBI), theBGC learned that the property was cited inMarch 2010 for a “laundry list” of codeviolations that have not been abated – badfoundation, mortar erosion, soffit and fasciamissing and rotted, roof and rafters deteri-orated, siding on the left exterior wallmissing, chimney mortar erosion, windowsmissing glass and front porch deck and joistsrotted.

There has been considerable deteriorationto the house since that 2010 citation,resulting in additional code violations. Theproperty may need to be condemned anddemolished for the good of the neighbor-hood.

Mr. Moffitt also told the BGC staff that,when he boarded up the kitchen window, hespotted a considerable amount of blackmold inside. Among many other concernshe has is that the porch is shifting “and isgoing to come through onto my property

some day,” he noted. We joined him in thestreet to look up through the second-storywindow (which has no glass), and saw thatthe third floor has begun to collapse into thesecond.

This property is stealing the quality of lifenot only from the Moffitts, but from all thegood neighbors in the 5300 block of BroadStreet. It is robbing them of their propertyvalue and peace of mind. Mr. Moffitt, who

is a city firefighter, said he is constantlyfearful of someone entering the house andstarting a fire.

The BGC was not able to reach the Fieldsby press time, but will continue to try andcontact them to ask how they intend toaddress their Broad Street property, whichthey have shamefully walked away from andleft to rot. t

The neighbor next door to this abandoned property at 5353 Broad has tried to secure it to keep itfrom being broken into or set on fire. Photo by Paula Martinac

7FEB 2012 | The Bulletin |


By Patrick Bowman Lawrenceville Corporation

The RecordGoes Roundand RoundLawrenceville – 720 Music, Clothing and Café has spent its first year settling intothe 4400 block of Butler Street, gradually integrating itself into the communitybased on a limber business plan, faithful clientele and beautifully built-out storefront. Lawrenceville’s only record store, 720 has added a unique dimension to theneighborhood’s healthy collection of retail businesses, incorporating amenitieslike the sale of new and vintage fashion, a cozy café in the front part of the store,and a performance space that has hosted a wide variety of events, from musicperformances to poetry readings. “I like Lawrenceville a lot, and I still feel like it’s growing, but I think we brought[720] in at the right time to grow with the neighborhood,” said co-owner NateMitchell, who also owns the Natural Choice barbershop in Oakland. Mitchellwent on to say the climate was perfect to incubate a business that has had severaldifferent iterations since its original inception almost a decade and a half ago.

How 720 Music, Clothing and Café reinvented itself time and time again

ABOVE: The storefront of 720 Music, Clothing, and Café on Butler Street. Photo by PatrickBowman

Since the late 1990s, 720 Music has been a pillar of Pittsburgh’s revered record-collecting community. Over those years, owner James Scoglietti has been curatinga choice selection of hip-hop, funk and soul vinyl, filling a niche in the East Endwhile record stores like Jerry’s Records and Paul’s CDs focused on used vinyl andnewly released vinyl, respectively. The original 720 Music was located on the second floor of a building on Oakland

See next page

NeighborhoodFOCUS


Avenue near Pitt’s campus, and thenmoved to the corner of S. Highland andPenn Avenue in East Liberty. In 2006,there was a shaky resurgence in demandfor vinyl, and 720’s online salessupported its brick-and-mortar opera-tion. But that year, with the stagnanteconomy, the bottom fell out for theOakland store. Finally, there was one lastmove to a space directly adjacent toJerry’s Records in Squirrel Hill until2009, when Scoglietti closed up shopand focused on 720’s online presenceexclusively. But Scoglietti wanted one more shotat storefront retail, and after a discussionwith Mitchell, his friend from AllderdiceHigh School, a new idea for 720 wasslowly hatched. “James came down to the barbershop,and I was cutting his hair, just like I havebeen for the past 20 years, “ saidMitchell. “And I listened to him whineabout [the volatility of vinyl sales], andfinally he said, ‘If we open a store again,it’s got to be different.’” Scoglietti knewof Mitchell’s desire to open a coffee shopand pitched him on the idea of a combi-nation record store and café. Once Mitchell’s wife, Jovon HigginsMitchell, got involved, she suggestedfeaturing new and vintage fashionalongside the records in the retailsection. With Andrew Burger and PaulDang, who has strong ties to Pittsburgh’sDJ and music community, “the team wasset,” said Mitchell. The group found their location at4405 Butler Street as a half-finishedshell, with abandoned drywall frames,cement floors, and decaying droppedceilings. “Someone came in to this space,

framed out a few spots for some dry walland just rolled out, left in the middle ofthe night, “ said Mitchell. “The buildingsat like that for five years.” Mitchell andhis partners completely renovated thefirst-floor storefront by themselves,finishing the drywall proper, layingdown new wood flooring and tearingout the drop ceilings to reveal a 9-footclearance. Mitchell even built thewooden counter for the café himself.The last piece was the construction of asmall stage in the back corner, giving thenew 720 a chance to establish itself as acommunity performance space. “I would say the stage [is what makesthis space special]. We have an open-door policy, we want bands to come inand perform, we want this to be a multi-purpose space,” said Mitchell. And overthe past year, the stage has hostedwedding receptions, fashion shows,private parties, concerts, book signings,and poetry readings, and began hostingmovie nights with four films for BlackHistory Month. In the end, the success of 720Clothing, Music and Café rests on itsability to be versatile and dynamic in aneconomy that is tough on all new busi-nesses, especially brick-and-mortarretail stores. By incorporating severaldifferent business elements and doingthem all well, Mitchell thinks 720 isheading in the right direction. “It’s been a tough year financially butit’s been a fun ride,” he said. “If you readany retail periodicals right now, theyrepeatedly talk about how you have toexperiment [with your business model]and try different things … it’s estab-lishing that staying power and gatheringmomentum. We’re not going anywhere.”t

BELOW: The cafe leads into the record and vintage fashion area. Photo by Patrick Bowman

The Record Goes Round continued


ACTION-Housing aren’t professing toknow everything. We don’t want to usurpother organization’s niches,” Churchwardsaid. Ruprecht agreed, noting that indi-vidual community members with aspecific skill set they’d like to share willbe able to teach classes at the GreenHouse. For professionals – or would-be profes-sionals – the Green House will alsoprovide hands-on training. “We’ll betraining people in the neighborhood andcommunity. Green jobs are on the rise,”Churchward said. Ruprecht pointed outthat the Green House provides a morerealistic environment for contractortraining than some other programs. “Alot of training exists, but in much moreinstitutional type spaces, where contrac-tors try things in ‘perfect’ settings,”Ruprecht said. In contrast, the GreenHouse is just what its name implies: a realhouse, with conditions that contractorsmight see on the job. ACTION-Housing had to do somework to convert the East Liberty spaceinto a realistic single-family home. Previ-ously, the 110-year-old home had beenbroken into four apartment units. “We’vereally tried to unify the space again. Youcome in, and you envision being able todo this in your home, or homes you’reworking on,” Ruprecht said.

The house’s age also ensures that itreasonably represents the possibilities fora home in this region. In Pittsburgh, theaverage home is 80 to 100 years old,which presents challenges as well asbenefits. “Even though Pittsburgh housesare old, that’s an asset. The homes arebeautiful, they’re well-constructed,”Churchward said. The Green Houseillustrates how residents can maintain theunique features of their old houses, whilemaking their energy consumption moreenvironmentally and economicallysustainable. Although ACTION-Housing’s workfocuses on low- to middle-income indi-viduals, the Green House welcomesanyone interested in learning. “We wanteveryone and anybody to come throughand learn what they can do to savemoney on their utilities and save moneyon their home and make it healthier,”Churchward said. For more information on the Pitts-burgh Green House, including a calendarof classes, visit www.pghgreenhouse.org.The home, located at 308 N. SheridanAve., will be open on Wednesdays from4 to 7 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,Fridays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. t

Green House from page 3Green+Screen Seeks Community Input

By Rich Engel Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Garfield – On Wednesday, February 15,members of the ecoDesigners Guild held acommunity meeting about the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation’s Green+Screenprogram, to get input on future projects.

Several neighbors were in attendance,including an architect who lives near theclosed Rogers Middle School, a teacher atthe Waldorf School and her CAPA-enrolleddaughter, an Oakland resident who hasshown work at Penn Avenue galleries and aretiree from Highland Park who owns prop-erty and operates a business with his wife onPenn. For some, a quick review of G+S wasin order.

G+S projects are “green” because they userecycled or sustainable materials and ofteninclude planted landscapes. They “screen” byblocking the view of empty lots or parkinglots, either continuing and echoing thefaçade of neighboring buildings, or usingmedian strips between sidewalk and pavedlots.

In the first three years of theprogram, G+S installed six proj-ects, at 4903, 5105, 5160, 5111,5200 and 5416 Penn Avenue, andparticipated in a cleanup of 4810Penn. With the help of more than60 volunteers, especially studentsfrom Summit Academy, and dona-tions of more than $10,000 inmaterials from 15-plus businesses, these

projects have significantly affected the land-scape of Penn Avenue.

Future projects will employ a partnershipwith Penn State University’s landscape archi-tecture program, using its students, toolsand studio space. The PSU students touredthe avenue on February 24, and their firstproject will begin this month, likely at thesoutheast corner of Penn and AikenAvenues.

The community was asked to look atinspirational photos of public art and greeninstallations around the world and vote onwhich they liked or disliked. On the “like”side: growing or edible installations; cloudsof lights; projects with motion and variation;bold colors; and projects blending with thecommercial nature of the Avenue. And onthe “dislike” side: static, strictly gridded, oroverly repetitive plans; high contrast withimmediate environs; and designs thatrequire maintenance or are too easy for wearand tear to disrupt. t

for more info, visitecodesignersguild.

posterous.com/pages/portfolio-47


“Like” the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporationon Facebook for the latest neighborhood information and community photos.

Environmental Nonprofit Comes to Penn Avenue

By Melinda Maloney The Bulletin

Garfield – The Group Against Smog andPollution, one of Pittsburgh's oldestenvironmental nonprofits, has joinedthe increasingly vibrant community onPenn Avenue. GASP, which was founded in 1969,moved into 5135 Penn Avenue in lateOctober after outgrowing its formerlocation in the Wightman SchoolCommunity Center in Squirrel Hill. “We liked our old space, but weoutgrew it. We’re a small nonprofit, butwe needed a space that was both largeenough for our needs and reasonablypriced,” Rachel Filippini, executivedirector of GASP, said. GASP’s Penn Avenue office meetsthose requirements, and its locationprovides other benefits. “Penn Avenue isconvenient to Downtown and theHealth Department, where we have a lotof our meetings. Our staff can bike orwalk to meetings,” Filippini said. Although the space required updates,GASP wanted to maintain some of itsunique features, such as a large chande-lier in its front room. “We wanted topreserve it, but spruce it up,” Filippinisaid. “All of the windows were frosted. Wereally wanted natural lighting, so ourlandlord replaced them. Now in theback room, we barely ever have to turnon the lights,” Filippini said. Because the space previously was anoffice building, GASP’s landlord, RossPerilman, said it required minimal otherrenovations – beyond replacing theceiling. “The funny thing was, theceiling was collapsing because [theprevious tenant] put a huge fixture on it.For all those years he put up with thisthing that could have collapsed at anytime,” Perilman said. The space'sprevious tenant, a real estate holder, hadbeen there for 50 years.

Perilman worked closely with GASPto ensure that the building met thegroup’s needs – both spatially and envi-ronmentally. “It had to be green. I’mvery green anyway in most of my prop-erties, and I’m environmentallyconscious. But they needed me to beeven more environmentally conscious,”Perilman said. As such, the building’s interior wasrepainted with paint containing few tono volatile organic compounds (VOCs),potentially harmful chemicalcompounds that leak into the air fromthe objects containing them. Similarly,the carpeting was replaced with hard-wood, which is lower VOC than otherflooring options. GASP is a Pittsburgh-based group,focusing on air quality issues specificallyaffecting southwestern Pennsylvania.The group has a multi-faceted approachto addressing environmental issues,relying on education, advocacy andpolicy making and watchdog work. “Asa watchdog group, we ask, ‘Is localindustry being a good neighbor?’” Filip-pini said. As GASP settles into its new space,Filippini looks forward to reaching outto the new neighbors. She said it willhave an open house sometime thisspring, so community members canstop in and learn about GASP's workand also mentioned the possibility ofparticipating in Unblurred. In the mean-time, people can find out more aboutGASP at its website, gasp-pgh.org, andin its quarterly newsletter. Filippini noted that Garfield is an up-and-coming area, with a strongcommunity of nonprofits as well asrestaurants and bookstores, making it anexciting place for GASP. Perilmanagreed, saying, “I think this place isreally starting to get activated.” t

I “Heart” Afterschool By Kathryn Vargas Neighborhood Learning Alliance

Pittsburgh – Statistics estimate that 15million youth across the nation do nothave a safe place to go after school. Pitts-burgh is lucky to have a vibrantafterschool and youth-serving communityrich in resources and the expertise ofcaring adults. Despite the great need tocontinue these programs, afterschoolprogramming is one of the many socialservices struggling to navigate a tougheconomic climate. On February 14, the United Way ofAllegheny County’s Allegheny Partnersfor Out of School Time held an eventcalled “I ‘Heart’ My Afterschool Program,”with the goal of communicating to electedofficials and communities that afterschoolprograms are an important component ofa young person’s educational experience.The program had more than 70 people inattendance and brought in national, stateand local policy experts to share informa-tion about the current funding climate foryouth-serving programs. The expert panelmade two things very clear: funding forafterschool programming is gettingtighter, and communities need to cometogether and stress the importance of

retaining support for these programs. Why are they important? Afterschool,or out-of-school-time, programs inspirelearning, keep kids safe and help workingfamilies. Afterschool complements theschool day and provides kids with addedsupport they might not get in the schoolday. Also, afterschool programs oftenprovide greater opportunities for youth toexpress creativity. For example, many ofthe programs use art as a tool for experi-ential learning. Afterschool touches a wide and diverseaudience. It is the working parent whocannot be home right after the school dayfor his or her children, the student strug-gling to graduate from high school, thechild looking for an outlet to cultivatecreativity and the professional workingwith a mission to provide a unique andenriching out-of-school-time learningexperience. Together, the community isafterschool. If you would like more information onhow to become an advocate for after-school, visit www.afterschoolpgh.org. t

ABOVE: Participants in the United Way of Allegheny County’s recent program on the importance ofafterschool programming. Photo courtesy Neighborhood Learning Alliance


Neighborhood Learning Alliance Expands Afterschool Programming

By Kathryn Vargas Neighborhood Learning Alliance

Transition Planning for East End SchoolsBy Judith Flaherty Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5

Lawrenceville – Monthly meetings havestarted to prepare for the merger of Pitts-burgh Arsenal PreK-5, Pittsburgh Fort PittPreK-5 and McCleary Early ChildhoodCenter.

Arsenal has established a transition teamthat consists of a group of teachers, admin-istrators, parents, and community members.The team will meet the third Tuesday ofeach month for the remainder of the schoolyear to create and implement an action plan.

The plan is to ensure a smooth transitionfor students and parents moving to ArsenalElementary when Fort Pitt and McClearyclose at the end of this school year. Commu-nity members consist of representativesfrom Lawrenceville United, the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation and other communitymembers that are interested in the schools.

The collaboration among school staff,parents and community members has desig-nated four key goals during the transition:providing support for students and families,

providing staff with information andsupport, communicating the transition planand timeline widely and often, and recog-nizing the past and celebrating the newopportunity.

During January, Arsenal Principal RuthieRea met with parents and staff members atMcCleary to share information about thetransition. Parents submitted questionsabout their concerns and wonderings. Mrs.Rea collaborated with Fort Pitt’s principal,Ms. Ola Flowers, and both schools haveshared their transition plans and committedto engaging in school visits and joint familyevents in April and May of this year.

In February, the Fort Pitt and Arsenaltransition teams met to conduct a jointParent School Community Council (PSCC)meeting. Also in February was an informa-tional breakfast meeting for Arsenal parentsto address their concerns and questionsabout next year. t

East End – In January, NeighborhoodLearning Alliance (NLA) received a grantfor $1.4 million over three years from thePennsylvania Department of Education toopen eight new 21st Century CommunityLearning Centers based in Pittsburghpublic schools. Dubbed Pittsburgh LEARNS by NLA,these afterschool programs will serveapproximately 500 K-5 students for thenext three years. New programs are set tobegin this spring at Fort Pitt ALA,Arsenal, Woolslair, Fulton, Lincoln, Miller,Mifflin and Stevens. NLA was one of twoorganizations in Pittsburgh to receive thisfunding. NLA currently facilitates six programsin the Pittsburgh region, and a majority ofthem serve middle- and high-school-agedyouths. NLA’s program delivery modelremains largely the same across differenttargeted age groups. By partnering with the school districtand local community youth-servingorganizations, NLA is able to bring thisimportant resource to a number of Pitts-burgh communities. In all of NLA'safterschool programs, it contracts with acommunity organization to provide thedirect service at the school, making the

program model a collaborative effort. “We could not do this work without thededication of our community partners,”said Stephen MacIsaac, executive directorof NLA. “We may secure the funding,manage the grant and report theoutcomes, but our community partnersbring with them knowledge and expertisebuilt from years of experience workingwith youths and families in their commu-nities.” Each participating young person isprovided with a comprehensive programthat includes academic remediation,homework help, enrichment opportuni-ties and a warm meal. The program isdesigned to help some of the district'sstruggling learners improve academicproficiency and performance in the class-room. Of course, the program alsoincludes fun. For every two hours ofinstruction, youths also participate in anhour of recreation. Have a child that could use afterschoolacademic assistance? Want to find out howto get involved? If you are interested inmore information about NLA programsacross the district, please call 412-363-1910 or visit www.neighborhoodlearning.org. t


ABOVE: Artist’s rendering of the facade for the new Center for PostNatural History. Courtesy CPNH

engineered to produce growth hormonesyear-round that cause it to grow at twice thenormal rate. Is this going to make peopleeat fewer wild salmon and make food moreplentiful and inexpensive? What if thegenetically engineered fish get loose in thewild? Are questions like these important toask? The Center for PostNatural History(CPNH), opening March 2 at 4913 PennAvenue, certainly thinks so. Founded andcurated by Richard Pell, this new, smallmuseum seeks to educate the public aboutbiotechnology and how researchers andprivate companies are using modernscience to go beyond “traditional” breedingof plants and animals. Examples of “post-natural” life you canlearn about and see at the Penn Avenuemuseum include mosquitoes geneticallyengineered to block the transmission of themalaria-causing parasite to humans; highlyprofitable Roundup Ready corn and soy;and even goats that produce spider silk intheir milk for use in manufacturing bullet-proof armor and fishing line. Pell has lived upstairs at 4913 for severalyears. “The neighborhood’s been good tome,” he says. “I like the mix of people.” Hehas rented the first-floor storefront for ayear, preparing to open CPNH. Previously,

the first floor operated as Tweek Clothing.Back in the ’80s, it was Russell’s Irish Pub,which hosted strippers on Friday nights.Now, you can find fruit flies pinned downin vitrines and lit by the tiniest of LEDs. Pell’s undergraduate stint in CarnegieMellon University’s art department wasmarked by study under Steve Kurtz, whosebiotechnology-related art famously cameunder scrutiny by the Joint Terrorism TaskForce. “I was a computer hacker whowound up in art,” Pell avers. He thendecamped for Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti-tute to pursue a master’s degree, where hefound “a critical mass of high-functioningeccentrics,” including art performers TheYes Men and electronic musicians like JesseStiles, who created the soundtrack for themuseum and is currently on staff withMerce Cunningham Dance Company. Pell returned to Pittsburgh to teach art atCMU, but insists the PostNatural project “isnot a CMU-backed project and isn’tbeholden to the school. It’s not a frame Iwant people to use when seeing this place.”The CPNH grand opening event, though,is part of CMU’s Miller Gallery exhibition“Intimate Science.” Regular hours planned for the Center areSundays, noon to 6 p.m. For more informa-tion, visit postnatural.org online. t

Museum from page 1

The Bulletin Board publishes listings of volunteer opportunities, free or low-cost eventsand classes, fundraising events and services that are of particular interest to our neighbor-hoods. Listings published on a space-available basis. Announcements for the April issue aredue THURSDAY, MARCH 15 via email submission to [email protected].

Sorry, we do not accept listings over the phone.

ClassesLocalEventsFundraisersAnnouncements BOARD


March 2LAWRENCEVILLE

Spaghetti DinnerFrom 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., come to the TeamsterTemple at 4701 Butler Street to enjoy entertainment,raffles, Italian music and more at the LawrencevilleGourmet Spaghetti Dinner. The dinner benefits theBernard Dog Run community initiative, whichseeks to establish a community-based off-lease dogpark in Lawrenceville. Tickets are $11 in advance,$13 at the door, and children younger than 10 arefree. Purchase tickets at www.bernarddogrun.org/spaghetti-dinner, the Gallery on 43rd Street, orLawrenceville United, 4825 Butler Street.

March 3GARFIELD

Free Hip Hop ShowFrom 7 to 11 p.m., Most Wanted Fine Art, 5015Penn Avenue, will host a free hip hop showfeaturing Middi & Money with D.J. Good Night &Swaggnation. Call 412-328-4737, email [email protected], or visit most-wantedfineart.com for more information.

March 4LAWRENCEVILLE

Installation ServiceThe New Bethel Baptist Church, 221 43rd Street,will celebrate the installation service for Rev.Johnathan M. Wilson at 4 p.m. Rev. Wilson and hisfamily previously worshipped at New Bethel BaptistChurch, and his installation service will mark hisreturn to the church.

March 7GARFIELD

Find a Career or MajorDid you know you can find a job or major in collegethat is matched to your skills, interests, aptitudes,and learning style? Come to this FREE career plan-ning basics overview class, at the ENEC at 5321Penn Avenue, led by a US Department of Labor BestPractice Author, Bill Freed, from 6 to 7 p.m. Call412-567-3891 for more information.

March 8GARFIELD

PowerPoint BasicsFrom 6 to 7 p.m. at Pittsburgh Connects, 5321 PennAvenue, learn how to make professional lookingpresentations with Microsoft PowerPoint in this freecourse. Use the same tool that businesses andstudents use to present projects and ideas.

March 9EAST LIBERTY

Her VoiceWomen of Color HERstory Month presents HerVoice: Stories, Tales, and Myths of Women of Color,at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Avenue.Tickets will be $10 to $15. Visit womenofcolorher-story.org for more information.

March 13EAST LIBERTY

Microsoft Word BasicsMicrosoft Word can be used to build resumes;create calendars; design business cards, mailinglabels, schedules, budgets, fliers, certificates; andmuch more. From 2 to 3:30 p.m., this course willteach you how to justify text, create columns,customize borders, and insert WordArt andpictures. The course is offered at the CarnegieLibrary East Liberty, 130 South Whitfield Street,15206. Call 412-254-4007 to sign up via message.

March 15GARFIELD

Microsoft Word BasicsNeed to learn formatting techniques for typing upa resume, calendar, or any general word document?From 6 to 7 p.m., come to Pittsburgh Connects,5321 Penn Avenue, to learn how to turn those proj-ects into a Microsoft Word document, and makethem look as good as possible with this free work-shop.

LAWRENCEVILLE

Heinz History LectureThe Lawrenceville Historical Society will hostSandra Baker, of the Senator John Heinz HistoryCenter, who will speak on the topic: “Taming theTomato, The History of the H. J. Heinz Company.”The event, which is free and open to the public, willtake place in Canterbury Place’s McVey Auditorium,310 Fisk Street, at 7 p.m.


The Big ReadAt 4 p.m. on Fridays, March 16 and 23, the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Avenue, joinsstudents from Community College of AlleghenyCounty for The Big Read, a celebration in song,interpretive dance, and literary readings inspired bythe classic novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God,"by influential African-American novelist, ZoraNeale Hurston. Enjoy a free screening of the film“Their Eyes Were Watching God” and panel discus-

sion following the film. For tickets and information,visit www.kelly-strayhorn.org.

March 18MORNINGSIDE

Annual Usher's DayThe Morningside Church of God in Christ at 5173Dearborn Street will celebrate Annual Usher's Dayat 4 p.m. All are invited to attend this spiritualprogram, during which evangelist Roberta Watkinsof the Deliverance Temple Church of God in Christwill speak. For additional information, pleasecontact Mary Reed at (412)361-9865.

March 19GARFIELD

CenterStageSeasoned and emerging artists are invited to learn,network, and collaborate as a monthly series of freeworkshops for arts managers continues from 7 to 9p.m., at the Kelly Strayhorn theater at 5941 PennAvenue. This month's topic is "Build Your Team."To register or for more information, visitwww.kelly-strayhorn.org.

March 20GARFIELD

Microsoft Excel BasicsEver tell yourself, “I wish I understood Excel better,everyone uses it”? Now you can! Our free Excelclasses, at 5321 Penn Avenue, can teach you how tomake a budget, track your spending, and more!

EAST LIBERTY

Microsoft Excel BasicsMicrosoft Excel uses a grid of cells arranged innumbered rows and letter-named columns toorganize data. Excel can be used to manage financeswhile creating a budget or operate businessexpenses while keeping inventory. From 2 to 3:30p.m., this course will teach you how to work with aspreadsheet, create and manage a budget, and inputbasic formulas. The free course is offered at theCarnegie Library East Liberty, 130 South WhitfieldStreet. Call to sign up via message: 412-254-4007.

March 21STANTON HEIGHTS

Neighborhood MeetingFrom 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Sunnyside Elementary, resi-dents will discuss plans to create a new communitypark on the corner of Stanton Avenue and Wood-bine Street. For more information visithttp://stantonheightswordpress.com.

GARFIELD

Doing What You LoveFrom 6 to 7 p.m., attend this ENEC workshop at5321 Penn Avenue to take a deeper look atKNOWING YOURSELF, your interests, aptitudes,and teamwork styles, assess you PRIDE Experi-ences and potential Barriers to Success, and how

these relate to your personal choice of careers,schools, and in-demand jobs.

March 22GARFIELD

Microsoft ExcelFrom 6 to 7 p.m., come to Pittsburgh Connects,5321 Penn Avenue, to learn the beauty of turninghard data into graphical charts in a free course. It iseasy, it is fun, and once you know it, it makes under-standing a set of numbers much easier.


PowerPointMicrosoft PowerPoint is a presentation programthat is used to easily create powerful professionalpresentations. From simple to advanced designs,PowerPoint will provide the tools you need topresent any type of information on any subject toany type or size audience.This course is offered atthe Carnegie Library East Liberty, 130 South Whit-field Street from 2-3:30 p.m. Call to sign up viamessage: 412-465-0858.

March 28HIGHLAND PARK

Nutrition for StressReaching for ice cream or potato chips when you’restressed? In this workshop, learn about controllingcravings; managing blood sugar spikes and crashes;moving away from dieting and toward a healthydiet; and incorporating herbs and supplements forstress relief into your regimen. Led by PaulaMartinac, M.A., M.S., nutrition educator/holistichealth coach. The workshop runs from 6:30 to 8p.m. at the Nuin Center, 5655 Bryant Street; the $20cost includes a healthy snack. 6:30 – 8 p.m. Classsize is limited – call 412-760-6809 or [email protected] to register.

March 29GARFIELD

Excel for FinanceFrom 6 to 7 p.m., come to Pittsburgh Connects at5321 Penn Avenue to learn to use advancedformulas of Excel to find out how much you needto pay monthly for a general loan, to calculate prin-ciple and interest per loan payment, find the futurevalue of an investment, and much more, in this freecourse.

Throughout the MonthPITTSBURGH

Comment on Transit CutsIf you’re unhappy about proposed transit cuts in theEast End and throughout the city, now is the timeto let the Port Authority know. The PAT Board willvote on the cuts on April 27, and the publiccomment period ends March 9. To make your voiceheard, send written comments to Port Authority

& ServicesVolunteer

Opportunities


For classified prices, email [email protected] or call 412-441-6915.

A Hauling Job?We clear basements, yards, garages, attics,

estates

Fast, Reliable, Reasonable

Also demolition work, minor repairs, grass

cutting, salvage credit.

412-687-6928 Call Walt 412-773-0599

ClassifiedsServices

Fare & Service Proposals, Heinz 57 Center, 345Sixth Avenue, Floor 3, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527.You can also visit www.portauthority.org for anonline comment page.

Public Allies PittsburghPublic Allies Pittsburgh is an intense 10-monthApprenticeship Program designed to develop thenext generation of civic leaders. They are seekingdedicated, service-minded Allies to begin their ten-month apprenticeship in nonprofit organizations inthe Pittsburgh area. Deadline for early applicationis March 16; closing application deadline is April 6.For more information, contact Laura Pollanen [email protected] or 412-258-3024 or visithttp://www.publicallies.org/Pittsburgh.

Toddlers WantedThe University of Pittsburgh Early Social Develop-ment Research Lab is seeking healthy, typicallydeveloping children between 12 and 48 months ofage to help with research on the development ofpositive social behavior, such as helping andsharing, or the development of body perception. Allresearch is play-based, and children enjoy toys andactivities. Parents remain with their children at alltimes. Reserved parking at the University of Pitts-burgh is provided at no cost, and sib-minding isavailable as necessary. Please visit our website atwww.pitt.edu/~toddlers or call us at 412-624-4957for more information or to sign up.

Behavioral Health Services AvailablePatients of the UPMC St. Margaret New Kens-ington; Bloomfield-Garfield, 5475 Penn Avenue;and Lawrenceville Family Health Centers, 3937Butler Street, have access to additional health careservices thanks to a $265,000 grant awarded to theSt. Margaret Foundation. The grant money assistedthe health centers in adding a part-time psychiatristand a full-time behavioral specialist to their staff.

EAST LIBERTY/LAWRENCEVILLE

Expanded Library HoursIn direct response to customer feedback, theCarnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh have restored theirhours. In East Liberty, the library is open from 10a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday andfrom 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.The Lawrenceville library is open from 11 a.m. to 8p.m. Monday and Tuesday and from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

EAST LIBERTY

Library EventsOn March 5 and March 20 at 7 p.m., the library willhost Baby & Me – for working moms and dads andbabies up to 24 months old missing their morningprograms. On March 13, at 6 p.m., East Liberty’sCarnegie Library at 130 S. Whitfield St. invitesstudents in grades K-5 and their parents to partici-pate in Family Studies Buddies – Science Theme.Come see what resources the library has for helpwith your science homework. On March 21 at 5:30p.m., children ages 4 and older and their families areinvited to Imagination Builders: Lego Night. OnMarch 28 at 6:30 p.m., children ages 3 to 7 accom-panied by an adult are invited to “What the BIGIdea? Math and Science for Preschoolers.” Please call412-363-8274 to register for any program.

SUNSTAR Music SeriesOn Fridays March 2, 9, 23 and 30, the SUNSTARMusic Series at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941Penn Avenue, will celebrate the best femaleemerging and established music makers throughconcerts, storytelling, parties, and discussions, aswell as a workshop specially designed for youngwomen. This series previews the SUNSTAR MusicFestival to take place in 2013. For tickets, artists, andinformation, visit www.kelly-strayhorn.org or call412-363-3000.

Master ClassesOn Wednesdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m., professionaldancers looking to heighten their skills, networkwith other dancers, or discover the latest techniquescan come to Master Classes at the Kelly-StrayhornTheater at 5941 Penn Avenue. At $10 per class, theseclasses feature seasoned, well-known instructors. Toregister or for more information visit: www.kelly-strayhorn.org or call 412-363-3000.

Coaching IntensivesOne-on-one coaching intensives provide short-term coaching and technical assistance forindi¬vidual artists or arts managers. Participantsreceive four one-hour sessions from SusanBlackman, long-time arts manager and fundraisingguru, at no charge over a four-week period. Appli-cation is required and the application deadline isMarch 2. For more information visit www.kelly-strayhorn.org.

GARFIELD

Yoga Hive EventsJoin the Yoga Hive and warm up your chilly March.In addition to Yoga Hive's regularly scheduledclasses, women's Kundalini yoga workshops willmeet on March 10 and 24 from 3 to 5 p.m. OnMarch 11, Lilith from Yoga is My Health Insurancewill conduct a neck and shoulder workshop from 1to 4 p.m. On March 23 from 6 to 8 p.m., RichardGartner will conduct a workshop on nurturing theneglecting body. On March 25, from 1 to 3 p.m., theYoga Hive will host a yoga intensive with music, andon March 31, from 1 to 3 p.m., the Yoga Hive willhost a back bending workshop. Details can be foundat yogahivepgh.com or by emailing [email protected].

PNC Hiring WorkshopsEvery Tuesday at 10 a.m., you can take the first stepstoward your new career in banking as a teller,customer or financial service associate, or salesconsultant at the East Side Neighborhood Employ-ment Center, 5321 Penn Avenue. Attend the fullseries of free workshops and assessments, and gaina guaranteed interview if you’re a good fit for abanking or finance career. Call 412-567-3891 formore information.

UPMC Hiring WorkshopsGain an interview with UPMC by going throughthe Workforce Readiness and Retention (POWRR)Hiring Workshops. UPMC has many career optionsevery day (over 1500), and this ENEC effort, everyThursday at 10 a.m. at 5321 Penn Avenue will bringyou right to UPMC and also has guaranteed inter-views for successful candidates who match job andhiring needs and pass the POWRR steps and jobrequirements.

Adult Computer LessonsMondays from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., come to PittsburghConnects, 5321 Penn Avenue, and learn the basicsof computers in this free course. Bring questions:our HandsOn Tech staff will be here to answer andteach you the basics of using a computer.

Email with GmailWednesdays from 12 to 1 p.m., learn about theadvantages of Gmail and how Google products canbenefit you and your interests from a free course atPittsburgh Connects, 5321 Penn Avenue.

Typing and ComputerABCsWednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m., come to PittsburghConnects at 5321 Penn Avenue and learn how totype while also discovering the basics of thecomputer in a free course,

LAWRENCEVILLE

Sunday Church ServiceThe Door of Hope Community Church, 5225Holmes Street, offers church services every Sundayat 11 a.m. It also offers Sunday School for all agegroups and Christians in Recovery at 10 a.m. Forany additional information, call (412)781-6440,email [email protected],or check out their Facebook page for a calendar andupdates on activities.

Library EventsEvery Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m., Lawrenceville’sCarnegie Library, 279 Fisk Street, welcomes teensto come hang out in its Teen Space and connectwith other middle and high school students. Dowhat you want to do, talk about what you want totalk about, and make the library your place! Stop bythe library at 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays for a specialprogram for all ages. We’ll read a story and do a craftbased on what we read. The Independent FilmSeries will continue on Tuesday, March 20 from 6to 8 p.m. On March 5, from 7 to 7:45 p.m., thelibrary will host Pajama Party Story Time – comein your PJs with your favorite stuffed animal forbedtime stories.

Art All Night The annual celebration of arts, community andcreativity—is back for its 15th year on April 28 and29, this time at The Warehouse on 40th and Willow.The planning committee seeks volunteers, artists,performance artists, bands, and contributions forthis year’s event. If you’d like to assist in any way,please email [email protected]. Artists, start yourentries. Each artist is invited to submit one (andonly one) piece of artwork. Bands and otherperformance artists are also welcome to sign up toperform during this one-of-a-kind neighborhoodevent attended by over 12,000 people each year.Additional information about this event, includingartist registration, will be available soon atwww.artallnight.org.

Lenten OfferingsOur Lady of the Angels Parish, 225 37th Street,welcomes its neighbors to come to the church thisLent on Wednesdays from February 29 to April 4.Join them February 29 for the Stations of the Crossand Benediction, on March 7 for scriptural read-ings, prayer and song, on March 14 for meager mealand a Q&A session, on March 21 for eveningprayer, reflection, and benediction, on March 28 forcommunal reconciliation service and opportunityfor individual confessions, and April 4 at 7:30 forTenebrae. Mass is at 6:30 PM in our Parish House

Chapel Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and inthe Church at 6:30 PM on Wednesdays and FirstFridays in the Church. There will be Stations of theCross every Friday during Lent at 6:30 PM in theChurch For more info call: 412-682-0929 or visitwww.oloa.org.

ENEC Drop-In SessionsEvery Thursday from 9 to 1 p.m., Eastside Neigh-borhood Employment Center offers a weeklydrop-in session to help you work on resume writingand format, cover letter development, job applica-tion process, job search and more! This is offered atThe Zone in Lawrenceville, 5217 Butler Street. Call412-465-0850 to sign up via message.

EAST END

Parenting WarmlineFamily Resource's offers a confidential ParentingWarmline at 412-641-4546. The Warmline providesinformation, referrals, and support for any non-medical parenting concern and answers from 9 a.m.to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m.Saturday and Sunday.

FRIENDSHIP

Call for VendorsThe Friendship Folk and Flower Festival, located inBaum Grove, will be on May 12 and seeks vendorswho would like to participate. This is a great oppor-tunity to sell handmade goods – for children andadults – or anything appropriate for this familyfestival. For $25, vendors will get a table and twochairs all day the day of the festival. If you are inter-ested, contact Kathy Farrington [email protected] or 412-362-0862.

April 1LAWRENCEVILLE

Free Walking TourThe Lawrenceville Historical Society’s springwalking tour will explore the architecture andstories of the “Historic Sixth Ward.” The tour willbegin near Iron City Brewing on Liberty andHerron Avenues on Sunday, April 1 at 1 p.m. andwill last approximately 1.5 hours. Wear comfortableshoes. Rain date is set for April 15. Tour is free andopen to the public. No reservations needed.

Find more listings throughout themonth on our blog: www.bloomfield-garfield.org/blog


ToonSeum Brings Mini-Convention to Penn Avenue FestivalBy Christine Bethea Bulletin Contributor

East End – The Geek Art/Green InnovatorsFestival, or GA/GI (pronounced gah-gee), iscelebrating its third year with the Unblurredart crawl along Penn Avenue on Friday,April 6, and it promises to be bigger thanever. As a bonus this year, the ToonSeum,the renowned cartoon and comic-bookmuseum located downtown, is presenting anIndy Mini-Con, the first in a series of “pop-up” comic and cartoon conventions it isproducing around the city.

Originating in 2010 as one of the keyPittsburgh events of “World EnvironmentDay,” GA/GI was dubbed an “arts and tech-nology barn-raising” by Charlie Humphrey,director of Pittsburgh Center for the Artsand Pittsburgh Filmmakers. Humphreyunderstood the collective grassroots effortneeded to carry off the festival by theFriendship, Bloomfield and Garfieldcommunities.

Partners in the event have includedCarnegie Mellon University and he Univer-sity of Pittsburgh, the City of Pittsburgh'sMainstreets program, the Pittsburgh Foun-dation and the nationally known beveragecompany FUZE, which have all contributedfunding and services for the project.Through this on-going support, GA/GI hasmushroomed into one of Pittsburgh’s mostvibrant and unique events, attracting art, ecoand technology fans from both coasts.

Joe Woos, director of the ToonSeum,explained that the Indy Mini-Con will

feature Pittsburgh’s up-and-coming cartoonand comic-book artists, who will share theiranimated creations and artwork. “This is achance to showcase some of the new artistsin Pittsburgh’s comic book scene, and [forthe public to] meet some of the establishedcreators in the genre of IndependentComics,” said Woos.

“It will be a stellar event within anoutstanding venue,” said Brenda Brown, co-founder of Passports Art Diversity, the maincoordinator of the GA/GI Festival. “This isour third big year working with the PennAvenue Arts Initiative, and we’re fortunateto have ToonSeum, one of city’s crownjewels, joining us and designing with ourteam.”

In addition to the Indy Mini-Con, someof the festival’s new faces will includeGordon Kirkwood, who does art with “light-ening” effects, and artist L.J. Swiech, whocreates amazing digital images. Both areworking with Anne Chen to exhibit atEDGE Studio.

The Irma Freeman Center for Imagina-tion will feature children’s activities and thefuturistic airship models of Ryder Henry,and Assemble plans to bring in BenjaminRice, a visiting artist from Virginia TechUniversity. Other festival highlights includethe annual Edinboro University students’art-from-salvage show at Most Wanted FineArt, and eco/fashion at the Pittsburgh GlassCenter.

“We also have a lot of returning organiza-tions, like the Union Project,” said Brown. “Itwill also be good to see Dave Edwards againfrom Art Energy Design, who recentlydesigned and installed some incrediblepublic art pieces on Penn Avenue. And the80-foot-long Pitt Mobile Science Lab isalways a hit with GA/GI-goers.”

The festival kicks off with an evening at

ToonSeum’s Indy Mini-Con at the Bloom-field-Garfield Community Center, 113 N.Pacific Avenue, on Thursday, April 5, andcontinues on Friday with GA/GI atUnblurred, which runs from 4500 to 5500Penn Avenue. For more information andupdates on special children’s activities, visitgagifest12.blogspot.com. t

Courtesy Joe Woos, ToonSeum

volume 37, number 3 mar 2012 · bgc took a field trip to mckeesport, pa., to visit one of the new...

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